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Our lights are out

We voluntarily turned off our lights at 8pm for an hour to save energy as part of Lights Out San Francisco. The TV is off. But do computers count as "non-essential lighting"? Hmm.

We're also supposed to install one compact fluorescent bulb in our home. We already have CFLs in our front entryway, garage and garage stairway, and kitchen. The bedrooms, living room and bathroom are off limits to fluorescent light until the quality of CFLs improves. The bulbs we put in the kitchen are the cuttingest-edge, closest-to-incandescent-color-temperature bulbs out there (2700k if you're curious), but they take 90 very long seconds to come to full brightness. Yes, I have timed it. So we never turn them off, which may or may not negate the energy savings of having 14-watt bulbs.

It would be cool to live within view of the Bay or Golden Gate bridges, since they have turned off the decorative lights for this event. Also, non-essential lighting on skyscrapers downtown will be turned off.

Check out Lights Out SF's very cool, practical and non-preachy Top 15 Energy-Saving Tips.

October 20, 2007 8:45 PM